The Prodigy (2005) User Reviews

Super-duper-ultra violent but completely incoherent

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 23 August 2006]

The Prodigy begins with a drug deal going sour. Only instead of 2 sides facing off against each other in a typical Mafioso fashion, someone dressed like the Scarlet Pimpernel but with the aggression of Jason Voorhees on crack, appears out of nowhere armed with a zillion weapons and cuts them all down before getting into a brutal fistfight with last man standing Truman Fisher. The action is so searingly intense, it makes recent actioners like Running Scared look like a 70s episode of Seasame Street in comparison.

The mystery villain is soon revealed to be some sort of mystical mega-psycho who goes by the name of Claude Rains (as he is, in a way, an invisible man) after he kidnaps the nephew of a gang boss. Truman Fisher is sent to find him but discovers that there is some kind of weird connection between him and Rains.

That is where my understanding of the film ends as it becomes far too messy and unfocused. At a running time of 2 hours I feel a lot of fat could have been cut to keep a tighter, more nervously wrought pace. Whenever Rains is on screen, doing his shooting, slashing and torturing the film absolutely soars. But in between, when Fisher is going from one place to another, it really lags. And by the end you won't have a clue what's going on or why. Less filler during the second act and more coherence in the third would have made this film so much better. I wasn't the only one who felt this way as there were several people in the audience who left halfway through.

Made on an unbelievably small budget of $219,000 the film honestly looks 10 times that amount. The action and fighting is amazing and Rains is a truly terrifying, imposing villain who pushes this film well out of the Crime genre and into Horror.

Obviously, since the budget is so small, it won't star anyone you've really ever heard before but they do just fine. A few characters are completely superfluous and could have been cut-out in a more preferable, leaner running time however.

The film is surprisingly stylish and action-packed considering it's low-budget nature but that doesn't excuse the increasing lack of sense as it goes on.

Still, it's a fine attempt at film-making and adds something new to both Action and Horror.

Captivating

[jerry-271 · 11 November 2004]

From the first gun shot to the last gun shot, The Prodigy was unlike any other film. The writing(Kaufman), acting, and Producing(Rucker)were all first class. The story line was quite fascinating, every character is involved in the underground crime scene, still a good guy is able to emerge from this violent circle. Truman(the lead character), is a complex character with a dichotomy of emotions, that leads one to wonder how he ever got involved in this lifestyle. The movie explores and shows a different side of crime that most have not ever thought about. How the producers and everyone involved made this first class film without the backing of a major movie house is testament to the creativity and dedication by everyone associated with the film.

Garbage!

[hemisphere65 · 2/10 · 18 August 2007]

While the story was somewhat interesting, the acting was so bad it was distracting. The only reason I gave it a 2 instead of a 1 is because the shootouts were outstandingly ridiculous! It was embarrassing to listen to the dialogue and I'm sure if any of the people reciting the lines were actual actors they would have been embarrassed as well. As it was, some of the "performers" seemed to be choking the lines out. As I stated above, the action sequences (shootouts) were better than average. There were people shooting at each other and missing, as opposed to the typical fare. As far as the plot, I could not generate any real interest in what the main character was experiencing because his acting was so terrible! It was like watching a high school play in which you don't know any of the kids. Don't waste your time.

A total stinker!

[adriansmithy · 1/10 · 28 October 2006]

I am amazed at the multi-star reviews this film is getting. With 3 friends (2 guys, 1 girl) i watched this at the Edinburgh Film Festival and all of us said it was terrible. Not 'the' worst film ever but in the top 20 stinkers i have seen. Where to start? On paper it looked good, dark gritty action - according to the blurbs anyway. What we got was a film i would expect an adolescent boy and his school pals to make. The dialogue was useless, camera work & lighting were terrible, acting wooden in extreme & the characters totally unbelievable. I didn't recognise many of the people in it, but a bunch of actors from a cheap porno could have done as well. I would advise the makers of this to maybe keep the same camera angle for more than 3 seconds, instead of constant rapid fire changes. Maybe use some lights? i know its meant to be 'dark' but this is ridiculous. Also massive amounts of gunfire & death don't make up for lack of coherent storyline & bad acting. Two other problems - the bad guy is supposed to be tough? why when he is unmasked does he look like a weedy corporate lawyer? Does the suite he wears make him an ultra ninja-terminator only while he wears it? Was this deliberate? He was seriously unscarey. Secondly, Scottish accents. Americans just cant do them, please don't even try. When the main character's sidekick first spoke there were audible gasps & laughs from the audience. We turned to each other in total disbelief & amazement how this could happen in 2006? It was like Brigadoon all over again. So the summary from this 'Scotch-lander' is : don't see this unless you are a teenage gun nut who doesn't mind bad acting, poor lighting, incoherent comic book story lines, unconvincing characters & the worst Scottish accent in 50 years in your movies. Instantly forgettable a D-minus. (PS. My 3 friends would have given this an even worse review!)

don't be fooled by the fancy cover....

[witster18 · 3/10 · 24 October 2007]

Now, I understand that this is a low-budget flick....but it's underwhelming.. even with the understood curve. On the cover there were words like, 'Masterpiece', 'jaw-dropping', and 'Dynamic'. It's not terrible....but to call this a masterpiece is one serious stretch. After the rather exciting opening action sequence....this movie goes into super-slow motion. I look for good 'b'/low-budget/independent films.....I have a 'b' movie suggestion list over 1000 strong and this IS NOT going on it. I appreciate the success of making an average film on a shoe-string budget....but this movie is about as bland as an under-ripened avocado. I was led to believe by the critical reviews and the cover that this film had something special to offer....well.....it doesn't. Keep in mind that, if not for the fact that this WAS A low-budget independent film....I'd probably be in the 1or2 star range... If your not going to 'act' ...then give me the action baby....rented this at the same time as 'District B13'......they should have put those reviews on THAT cover. Also...the lead character makes zero sense whatsoever...he's too much of a 'smart good guy' to work with the slime gang....it just doesn't work for me...at all! The real question is....is there anyone NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH THIS FILM....that thinks it's a masterpiece.....I mean aside from these friends they have that are these 4 critics on the cover. Speaking of the DVD cover....that is easily the best thing about this. Note:I write many reviews... Sometimes these 'B' flicks can offer exceptional scenes that stick in your mind(like the Hallway scene in 'A Better Tomorrow')...but there wasn't a single moment here where I went 'WOW'..... I rented this with a 1.99 coupon and I still feel cheated. I believe some of those involved in this film are 'obsessed with this average piece of crap'....they're sitting here writing great reviews on it and sniping all the negative one's. Take it from an outsider....this movie stinks! There's a difference between a movie that takes nothing and makes it into a fairly cohesive low-budget success(stepping stone)....and a good movie.... 27/100

Totally failing the concept of movie-making.

[CineCritic2517 · 1/10 · 4 November 2006]

I don't know what the people that rated this film a 5 or more usually watch but I have a fairly good idea. And perhaps if you see little else than MTV all day and catch a Horror flick every once in a while, this movie could indeed be appealing.

I can safely say that I have seen my share of stinkers but those movies didn't all fall short due to the lack of almost everything that makes a quality movie. Yet, Prodigy certainly seemed to spare no effort to try to fail on all counts although I admit there were some nice action-scenes and the premise certainly was interesting.

But the main question is: why make a movie and blatantly ignore directing it? I mean, the story was all over the place and none of the scenes seemed to blend at all. It was like watching a collection of scenes in a non discernible order. Any first grade film student would have surely done a better job in creating some cohesion.

Directing aside, what was up with the grainy footage, the constantly changing camera style (make up your mind guys) and the first-draft dialog? And don't even get me started on the 'acting' by some of the cast. I know this movie was obviously low-budget but for the love of God, you don't have to remind the audience of it in just about every scene.

This movie gets a lot of positive reviews and those reviewers give this flick a neat 4/4 stars. 'Bit suspicious considering that the weighted average vote isn't even a six, which is due to the fact that 36%! of the voters gave it a ten obviously without giving it much thought.

If you don't mind incoherent film-making, overlong scenes and an in-the-face feel of lowbudgetism, then, by all means, go see this and give it a 10 as well. Otherwise just avoid...

A Lot of Wasted Talent

[divineqazu · 3/10 · 31 December 2004]

I was told that the Dallas Film Series was showing a film called The Prodigy and thought that it was probably another of the "coming of age" independent films that one often finds in such venues. After having seen the film I can only state that I was totally surprised by what I saw. As an avid movie go-er I tend to try and be positive when I speak about a movie, but this movie makes it hard to do. Yes, the look of the film and all of the technical aspects of the film were way above what I expected, but the level of violence was truly disturbing. WE wonder why this country is so violent and then WE see this is what WE call entertainment. I truly believe that the filmmakers have more than enough talent to have made a true thriller of exceeding quality that doesn't de-evolve into a symphony of violence. After much consideration I cannot recommend this film to anyone I know and I will pray for the makers of this film in the hopes that they might see their way to making a film that shows the best of humanity and not the worst. NOTE: Mr. Dundon, In the future I hope you can find a more worthwhile use of your money. God Bless

Exciting and well-paced, 'The Prodigy' is a crime movie that plays like a horror movie.

[mikewatt2 · 9/10 · 21 October 2004]

Exciting and well-paced, 'The Prodigy' is a crime movie that plays like a horror movie. You have the haunted hero and his quirky pals going up against the seemingly unstoppable killer that will take them all to the edge of their sanity. Put guns in every hand, and you have an offbeat and very welcome thriller.

'The Prodigy' is a little come-out-of-nowhere masterpiece, the first feature of director William Kaufman, who co-wrote the script with stars Boggs, and Beckham. It's a taught, tight independent movie that looks as slick as any Hollywood lackluster. The ample, almost endless fight-scenes and shoot-outs are expertly choreographed and edited, and the entire movie looks crisp and beautiful. This is one of those films where you can see every penny present on the screen, shot no doubt while the leads were crashing on each others' floors and eating beans out of a can. If there is any fault to be had with the film, it's that the plot is a bit murky, with motivations difficult to figure out at times-in the beginning, I was convinced that Truman was an undercover cop, and his bust had gone bad; in reality it was a situation of rival gangs having a lively, bloody discussion. But if you sit back and let 'The Prodigy' take you where it wants to go, you'll never be bored and never be anything less than entertained and impressed. Standing out on a pyramid of outstanding actors is the film's true find, star Holt Boggs, who infuses the morally-ambiguous Truman with a depth and intelligence not usually found in low-budget crime thrillers (or big budget ones, for that matter). Actress and stuntwoman Inosanto is fun to watch as well. Truth be told, there isn't a false note struck by any character.

Mike Watt - FILMTHREAT

A scavenging rat of a film

[leaningt · 1/10 · 9 January 2007]

The 2006 Edinburgh International Film Festival has premiered an array of high quality feature films, imported from around the globe. However, there will always be a few bad eggs that manage to slip through the festival's cinematic net. 'The Prodigy' is not so much a bad egg, as a scavenging rat that has the ability to close down the most reputable of London restaurants. Previously well received in the United States, William Kaufman's gangster flic resembles a B-movie, as it follows tough-guy 'Truman' around the blood-stained streets of Dallas, Texas, attempting to track down a psychopathic assassin who has kidnapped a local mob-boss' nephew. Too often than not, the dialogue is mind-numbingly boring and the pitiful performances are enough to tip a suicidal man over the edge. A truly terrible film.

Original...Sick and wrong...Can't wait for Prodigy 2

[jim_baldwin · 10 November 2004]

The Prodigy is why we love Indie films. Studios are often too scared to produce fresh, dark and original stories like this one. As soon as the first bullets fly, you know your on a roller coaster from hell. And I for one didn't want to get off. The lighting and the look of the film works as another character in the movie. Scary, dark and brooding which is hard to pull off on 16mm. The Prodigy character is fantastic. He's the bogey man that has been lurking in the back of all of our minds since we were kids. Who is he? Is he the devil or God's militant dark angel Michael. The biblical references are numerous. The producers, director, cast and crew have delivered a perfect Indie film.

Needless to say, I can't wait for The Prodigy 2, 3, 4...I give this film 4.5 silver bullets.

"Innovation"

[shatguintruo · 1/10 · 24 February 2007]

After see this movie, go urgently to a rental films store and look for a movie intituled "Caché"! If the intentions of Mr. William Kaufman were innovate the cinematographic language, you must watch that french movie and discover what innovation means. While the opening scenes of "Caché" is something never seen before - at least for me (I've watched almost 10.000 films in my 60 years of live) - "The Prodigy" (in its first 30 minutes) caused me a weird sensation: "Am I watching someone playing a video game or am I watching a film?". What a sequence of gratuitous scenes of violence! But after all, a ridiculous plot leads to ridiculous situations, for instance, that scene in which the "heroe(?)" has the opportunity to kill his "enemy": what a stupid cop would shot anyone in the body, mainly when that person is wearing night vision goggles, indicating surely the use of other safety equipments? By the way, Sam Peckinpak used scenes of extreme violence in his movie "Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia", shocking the majority of the spectators in 1974. But those "takes" were perfectly inserted in the context, what is not the case of "The prodigy"... As I don't want waste too many words to classify something that's better to forget, in a scale of 10, I vote: 1 (awful).

Interesting ideas, poor execution

[kreed10 · 3/10 · 31 December 2008]

There's a lot of interesting stuff going on here. Bad acting? OK yes but thats forgivable, you can see they are really trying. What isn't forgivable are the missteps that keep the movie from being really good, Who's decision was it to have the assassin spend 5 minutes beating up a drugged out woman and then drag her, wrapped up in a shower curtain to the main gun fight only to never see her again? This is our introduction to the ultimate killing machine? The theme of the movie is an interesting one and the resolution is even well done to a point until it gets all 'Angel Heart' on us... These guys are good at staging a fight but it needed better editing, and a better writer or script doctor.

Bad bad bad bad bad bad and even worse movie! And misleading cover!

[jordidamian · 2/10 · 7 August 2017]

I watched 1 hour of the movie and that was enough to conclude what a bad sh*t this is. I don't even want to spend time writing this comment... The movie begins with a big fight which took way too long. It didn't have a bad guy or a good guy, so you are just looking to a stupid fight. When it's finally clear who is the bad guy he gets killed!

I had no idea what's the purpose of the main characters in the story, and couldn't really identify with the character. Just a sh*tty movie. Don't watch it. Save your money.

Wow

[rowanprime · 10/10 · 30 December 2004]

I first saw this film at midnight at the Magnolia theater in Dallas. My girlfriend and I sneaked in after seeing another movie. At first I felt bad and then found it was free, so I really didn't sneak in, I walked in quietly. When they announced that it was a low budget indy film that was produced locally I was quite upset and almost ran for the bar, but when the lights went down and the film started up I was totally impressed. I usually joke that I judge a good romantic film by how sweaty my hand gets from holding hands with my girlfriend and how intense a film is by all the bruises she puts on my arm. From the start of the first gun battle on she had a pit-bull like grip on my arm and never let go. I was all bruises. I tend to hate low budget action/thriller films after the mad rush of low budget crud that you see populating pay cable channels when the sun goes down. I think this Ken Dundon guy put together one heck of a team. (I might be prejudiced by his name) Seeing that he was in a wheelchair and had two hot women with him, I can only imagine that he is either very rich or very charming. Maybe both. He does, however, seem to have struck gold with this film.

I really didn't see any fatal flaws in the film except for the fact that when I left the theater it was nearly 3 am which makes The Prodigy a long film. I had planned on spending 90 minutes in the theater and jetting. Is it just me or aren't most of these hyper-intense, hyper-low budget films short by nature? As far as acting goes, I thought that Matt Beckham who played the leads sidekick was totally awesome. When I found out how long ago they shot this thing I was totally floored by the fact that I have never seen him before. He was at the sneak preview and I must admit, it was the first time I ever wanted an autograph. I think the lead took the idea of deep and understated intensity to a whole new low. He seemed to be striving to create a character that had that vapid statuesque nature that Robert Mitchum brought to a role. I always wondered why no one had ever copied Mitchum and now I know why.

I was also impressed at the number of women in the film that had full fledged, 3 dimensional speaking parts in the film. You don't often find real parts for women in films that contain so many guns.

The bad guy in the film is also one of the best works of menace I think I have seen in a long while. The director, Bill Kaufman, does one heck of a job making him seem omnipotent and ever present. This character stuck with me. My girlfriend and I didn't make it home until 5:30 and a few moments after we crawled into bed, with the room pitch black, my alarm went off. It scared me to no end and my girlfriend put a whole new bruise on my other arm. For the next few days any time someone touched my arms I got a slight tinge of pain and a flashback to what was a great movie going experience. I cannot wait to see what these guys do next and I if there is any justice in the world these guys will be rich and on many magazine covers.

Imagine if Batman was a serial killer, and you have an idea of how lethal and terrifying this bad guy is.

[diegopereznjh · 10/10 · 20 December 2004]

I can't remember when I last saw movie that has stayed with me weeks after seeing it. Talk about an audience participation experience, I kid you not, there were actually numerous times when the entire audience, a packed house would all gasp or jump in unison as the horrors of film unfolded. I can't remember when the last time that happened to me, can you? The story in a nutshell is about this small time thug, Truman, who is being hunted by this psychotic, Keyser Söze type hit-man, known as Rains. Imagine what kind of world it would be if Frank Miller's Batman was a serial killer and he was coming after you and you get an idea of how lethal and terrifying this bad guy is. Rains wants to shape and mold Truman into his likeness so to carrying on his life's work - judging and punishing those who he deems deserve it. He believes that he and his natural born killer prodigy, have a responsibility to help give purpose and clarity for the sufferings included in God's master plan…Yeah I know, it sounds insane as hell, your right it is, and I loved every minute of it. As far as the acting, yes I agree with everyone else here, it was dead on. My favorites were the lead guy Truman, and his mentor King. You've got to hand it to the filmmakers for having the courage to go with an unknown cast over your regular handful of straight to video talent. That choice accomplished two things, first I had no idea who the killer was, second it really gave me the impression that all bets were off, that no one was safe. This in turn had the great residual effect, and one so lacking of most thrillers, of making it impossible for me to have a clue as to how this film was going to end. Second it really elevated the film out of the B-movie label it would have so easily been tagged with and into something quite unusual. As far as the shoot outs and fight scenes go, thought they rocked, absolutely super brutal. Every character in this movie is scarred out of there minds and rightfully so. You really get the vibe that at anytime, anyone is heartbeat away from eating a bullet. What a welcome change of pace from all the "wire work", slow motion hero shots and "bullet time" f/x that everyone has been ripping since The Matrix. I left the theater feeling like I'd taken a beating. This was the coolest, slickest, gut-wrenching journey into hell I've seen in ages. You've got to see it.

This film resets the bar.

[tryit4fun9 · 8/10 · 9 November 2004]

I was invited to their private screening in Dallas as a friend of a friend of a friend. I had no info on the film, so I didn't really know what to expect. My expectations were minimal. About a minute into it (very cool credit sequence hits), I realize that I was not about to watch your typical low-budget indie film. The Prodigy is one of the most intelligent thrillers I have seen at any budget level. The film tells the story of Truman Fisher (an incredible, A-list performance by Holt Boggs)a small time hood and the jaded anti-hero of the film. What he doesn't know is that he is being watched and studied by a legendary killer that we as the audience never see until the end. No, I'm not going to spoil it, but this film kept me guessing in disbelief with every turn. What impressed me the most, is the attention to detail that was paid to every element of the film. The acting, the fight scenes, the wardrobe, the visual style and last but not least, the script were so very specific and well thought out. In a genre that is known for being over the top and cheesy, especially at this level, it's the subtleties that put this film in a class by itself. The Prodigy is a thinking man's film, set in a genre that will entertain the most simple minded audience member. For a film trying to get out there and launch careers, this is the perfect vehicle for everyone involved. Bottom line, is this film was done for very little money, by a group of complete unknowns across the board. The Producer (Rucker) had to be some kind of miracle worker to help Kaufman pull this off. It resets the bar in my opinion of what is possible of film-making at this level. If this is truly his first film, then the William Kaufman is going to join the likes of great directors like Michael Mann, Walter Hill and David Fincher. I am a fan and can't wait to see what he does next.

Wonderful Independent Film

[artvandeley35 · 10/10 · 9 November 2004]

The Prodigy is one of the best independent films I have ever seen. The storyline and acting were great. Holt Boggs (Truman) and Matt Beckham (Pat)work well together and Lawrence Varnado does a great job as King in the film. The action is also fantastic, it even compares to many films coming out of Hollywood these days. What makes it that much better is that it was filmed right here in Dallas, hopefully the people in LA will notice the talent here in Texas. The production design and cinematography are fantastic, and give the film such a great look about it. I am especially looking forward to future projects by the director, William Kaufman. Can't wait to go see it again.

Wow! You have got to see this movie!

[Movize · 10/10 · 18 April 2007]

I was in Belgium this week and get a chance to see this movie (The Prodigy). I was visiting a friends home and watched the movie on DVD.  All I can say is this, Wow!  I was dumb struck from the beginning.  In the first 15 minutes there was more action than most movies have in their entirety.  The gun battles and fist fights were like no other ever filmed before.  The directing and acting was total quality. I never heard of these actors but they all did an amazing job.  I was really taken with the star of the film Holt Boggs and I really liked the female lead Diana Lee Inosanto.  Can't wait to see what they do next, hopefully a prequel or sequel to this movie. Also, your really going to like what the director Will Kaufman and his DP did on this film. They gave this movie both, a beautiful look and it was creepy all in one. Do yourself a favor and check this one out. I can't wait for the US release.

AWESOME.

[mhanson2 · 28 October 2004]

The Prodigy is straight out awesome. Flawless direction (William Kaufman), outstanding acting, amazing editing, and top notch sound. The film looks outstanding, the producer (David Rucker) and his production team made sure that every penny was put on the screen. This is a movie that keeps you guessing until the end and will stay on your mind way after it is over. The story is about Truman (Holt Boggs) a mobster who is looking for someone who killed some people at his bosses house and then kidnapped his bosses Nephew. What Truman doesn't know is this mysterious person is also looking for him. This movie is full of action, comedy, and suspense, but the mysterious killer being hunted is truly terrifying. He is as scary if not scarier than any villain from a horror movie. As far as the shoot out scenes go. I couldn't even compare it to an action movie, It's more like a war movie. You just have to see it to believe it. I loved this movie. I saw it at a premiere in Dallas. I think it will make its rounds at festivals before being released to the public, but if you get a chance to see it...do it.

Not since "Se7en"....

[dutchwife · 10/10 · 12 November 2006]

Okay, so it's a different premise completely but it's been that long since a movie gave me goose-bumps like this one did.

Being a mad fan of gangland flicks, this DVD won out over about half a dozen well-received big name rentals tonight and rightly so. The fight scenes are incredibly realistic, disturbingly so in some cases, the acting generally pretty good (hey, if you didn't feel for Pat or King you must be Claude Rains material)and while the plot wasn't madly intricate it certainly went in different directions than one may have expected.

While there are certain folks who may find fault- my wife's more of a horror fan & her response was 'great movie...but I don't know if I get it..'- if you're into gangland movies, dark suspense or just flat-out psycho fare, you'll surely love this. Superb.

excellent work by Kaufman, Boggs and David Rucker(F5 films)

[wiesners · 10/10 · 10 November 2004]

This was my first truly independent film that I have seen on the big screen.

If all independents made movies of this high quality, the big studios would be out of business. Holt Boggs(Fisher) and Matt Beckham(Doyle) deserve credit for their excellent acting that immerses you into the 2 hour movie. I have to say, however, that Beckham steals the show. He has an "in your face" type of attitude while at the same time provides some timely comic relief.

This film will not remind you of "Driving Miss Daisy". In the first 20 minutes, they use more bullets(blanks)and blood squibs than most movies ever use while Fisher's fight scene with Rains was masterfully choreographed later in the movie. If you are an action movie fan, this one is for you.

Hopefully F5 will get paid big for this effort. William Kaufman and Holt Boggs wrote an excellent story and first time movie producer, David Rucker, made it work.

If my name was Miramax or MGM, I'm on the phone tomorrow with them and showing this movie everywhere.

A terrific surprise

[CChrislc · 8/10 · 4 November 2004]

Interesting that the IMDb recommends the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye as a companion piece for admirers of The Prodigy. But the fact is that Prodigy likely has more inventiveness, directorial savvy, frightening villainy, editing prowess, and well-spent money in its cutting-floor leavings than GoldenEye, or dozens of other big actioners for that matter, have from beginning to end.

Genre films are often cranked out as hasty marketing gimmicks; perhaps they are watched and perhaps not, but in most cases either way, they're quickly forgotten. Here, we have a psychological/crime thriller that stays in the viewer's lens long after the credits have rolled. The acting is solid throughout--superb in spots, actually, especially from star Holt Boggs and costar and co-writer Matt Beckham--and the surprises are well-plotted and considered. Just as importantly, intricate, minutes-long gunbattle and action scenes, which would normally be confusing failures in most low-budget hands, are directed and edited with a precision that allows us to follow the jarring action with the same attention and involvement that we do when we see Prodigy's less-interesting big-budget brethren. Sometimes as many as ten characters are involved in these sequences, but we are never distracted, confused or annoyed by their number, as they are showcased only when needed, to maximum effect. (Added note, and kudo to director Kaufman: Thanks for not filming yet another Nine Inch Nails video and passing it off as an action film.)

I was surprised and impressed at a recent Texas screening of this film, and can only hope that some attentive distributor realizes that memorable, riveting action can be done for less than $10 million. If this one surfaces at a festival or theater near you, don't waste any time--see it.

Masterpiece thriller restores faith in Texas indie film-making

[dfwscout · 7 December 2004]

Although I'm a little fatigued with the 'bullets and blood' shorts and features that are produced wholesale, I was genuinely stunned with the quality of this production. I have produced 10 shorts and 2 micro-budget features, so I feel the pain of being held back by monetary restrictions. Yet with this film I never once thought 'if only they had the funds and/or time to do that the right way'. If they would have announced the budget at 5 million, I would have said that it was money well spent. The cinematography was the best I have seen from a local production, the characters and acting were completely convincing, and the editing, pacing, and score were spot-on (if you notice any of these, then it becomes irritating) and did nothing to detract from the story…which I found refreshingly unique and richly layered. If I had a distribution company I would have signed them in the lobby after the screening.

This movie ROCKS!!!

[bradkeller123 · 10/10 · 6 June 2007]

You will not see a better indie film ever and I still say if blows most of the studio films away. I'm not giving away any spoilers, this movie is so SICK you just have to see it for yourself. I don't know how they did it, but to have the combination of laughter and terror in the same movie is amazing. But what I took away from it mostly is pain. This movie wore me down, the fight scenes are so real and intense that they began to effect me physically as I watched. I really left the theater feeling like someone just kicked my ass. "The Prodigy" is a combination of old school and new technology film-making at it's best. It's a horror film, it's an action film, it's a drama, it's a martial arts movie, it's a sick and twisted comedy...Simply put this movie has it all.

A fresh, exciting look at what could have been very formulaic.

[lcafilms · 9 November 2004]

I saw THE PRODIGY on its last night screening in Dallas and was delighted with the outcome. As an independent filmmaker myself, it was great to see such local talent (Both in front of and behind the camera) doing such wonderful jobs with a script that could have been very formulaic. A great job was done all round, from the overall quality of the film to the cast and crew, I really enjoyed this film and would be very surprised if it weren't picked up for distribution along the way. If you get the chance to see this film, I would not pass it up. You will be pleasantly surprised. There is more freshness and originality in this independent film than there is in most of the big studio films that are being thrown at us constantly. Great job to all involved!